Hamilton sits Friday nursing sore shoulder

MILWAUKEE -- National League rules and an inability to throw prompted Josh Hamilton's absence from the Angels' lineup for the first time since July 24.

"Still sore," Hamilton said of his left shoulder, which has been tender for the last few days and caused him to spend the entire three-game series against the Rays as a designated hitter.

Hamilton tried to throw prior to the weekend series against the Brewers at Miller Park early Friday afternoon, but wasn't able to do so without pain. He wasn't available to pinch-hit during Friday's 5-0 win, but Angels manager Mike Scioscia was nonetheless hopeful that he could be re-inserted into the lineup on Saturday.

"It's getting better than it was a couple days ago," Scioscia said, "but it's still bothering him a little bit."

Howie Kendrick, out since Aug. 5 with a sprained left knee, took a step forward by running the bases prior to Friday's game, but he won't be activated over the weekend, and there's still no timeline for his return to second base.

"Not quite ready to call it day by day," Scioscia said, "but he's passing some tests."

Report: After vote, Halos may drop 'of Anaheim'

MILWAUKEE -- The Anaheim City Council will vote Tuesday on whether to enter lease negotiations with the Angels that could keep the team in the city through 2057 and allow them to drop the "of Anaheim" part of their name, according to a Friday report by the Los Angeles Times.

Tuesday's vote would extend the Angels' opt-out window for their stadium lease from 2016 to 2019, giving the two sides additional time to negotiate a complex deal, according to the Times.

"We look forward to the City Council's decision on Tuesday regarding a framework that will guide our future discussions on the stadium lease," Angels president John Carpino said in an e-mail.

Under that proposed deal, the Angels would pay for a second major renovation of their 47-year-old stadium. In return, Angels owner Arte Moreno would rent land surrounding the stadium for $1 per year and secure development rights to that land for at least 66 years, as outlined by the Times.

With the new deal, the team would simply be known as the Los Angeles Angels.

Angel Stadium, the fourth-oldest ballpark in the Majors, was remodeled in 1996-97 for $118 million. The team's then-owners (The Walt Disney Co.) paid $98 million, while the city contributed the additional $20 million.

Worth noting

• With each of their top three affiliates headed to the Minor League playoffs, the Angels aren't expected to call up any players on Sunday, the first day rosters expand.

• Sunday is also the deadline for teams who are eligible for the playoffs to add players. As of pregame Friday, a source said there was a "very high percentage likelihood" that starter Jason Vargas, a free agent at season's end, would remain with the Angels for the rest of the season.

• Asked how he would use center fielder Peter Bourjos in the three-game Interleague series against the Brewers, Scioscia said he'd "try to match him up a little bit and get him in there when he can play, and see if he can get comfortable in the batter's box." Bourjos is 3-for-36 since returning from the disabled list.

• The pendulum behind the plate has swung back in the direction of Hank Conger, who started Friday for the fifth time in six games.

"He's doing a good job, first and foremost, behind the plate," Scioscia said. "And the way he's contributing from the left side, he's winning playing time. But they [Conger and Chris Iannetta] both bring a lot."